Welcome Nowhere

Year: 2013Country:USA, BULGARIARun Time:
80 minutes

Narrated by Academy Award® nominated actor Ethan Hawke, WELCOME NOWHERE tells the heart-wrenching story of a community of Roma Gypsies living in Sofia, Bulgaria. When their houses were demolished in 2001, they were moved to a tiny settlement where they had to make homes out of old train compartments. This relocation was supposed to be temporary, yet more than a decade later, they're still living out of boxcars. Ignored by their government and persecuted by their neighbors, these forgotten people struggle to survive in appalling conditions. Their access to fresh food, clean water, electricity, and waste management services are greatly restricted. Instead, they live in a sea of trash where disease and illness are all too common. Due to a strong history of prejudice against the Roma people, employers in the area refuse to hire them, leaving many unemployed. Their reputation for criminal behavior and poor hygiene has rendered them outcasts. Where did all the hatred and stereotypes come from? This powerful and eye-opening documentary reveals a harsh reality that's rarely profiled in the press. (In English and Bulgarian with subtitles) —E.F.

Los Angeles-born filmmaker Kate Ryan studied film at California State University, Northridge. She is the casting editor on the award-winning CBS show Undercover Boss. In 2007 she wrote and directed her first short "Point Of View: A Dogumentary."